Moon Tortured (Sky Brooks Series Book 1) (8 page)

How did he do that?

The massive dark gray wolf trotted slowly toward me and nuzzled against my face. Without thinking, my fingers gently stroked his soft fur as he lowered his head, resting it on my shoulder. I changed. It wasn’t painful like in the past. In fact, it was almost soothing as my body elongated and light gray fur began to take over my body. I stood on all fours for the first time after a deliberate change, and I had to admit—it wasn’t horrible.

Ethan howled and an ostinato of howls responded from a distance helping him find their location. The wolf song resonated through the air, and I felt compelled to join in. Ethan ran toward the sounds and I followed. For each step he made, I had to take two. Did I mention how massive his wolf was? When he had joined the rest of the pack, he stopped abruptly and howled again, making the most delightful harmonious sound.

The others joined in while I remained silent. As we ran through the woods, we stopped intermittently to playfully bite at and jump on each other. Steven pushed me to the ground and licked my face. His wet tongue slathered over it. It was absolutely disgusting, and I wasn’t sure how to communicate that while in wolf form. When he did it again, I nudged him with my nose. He sneered, playfully growled and tried to do it again. This time, I moved my face and growled, baring all my teeth. He finally got the message, pulling back his teeth in a grin before running ahead. When they hunted a deer, I dropped back, allowing myself to enjoy the run. In the eight years since my change, I never gained any form of pleasure from this part of me—until now. I felt elated. This was a pleasure that I never would have associated with being in wolf form.

I panted happily as we rushed through the woods, feeling the joy and freedom of giving in to my other half. It was definitely a new feeling for me.

After about two hours in the woods, we headed back toward the house. They began to change back to human form as they walked. How the hell did they do that? Walk and change with the same ease one would change a shirt. I was still in wolf form when we got to the house. Sebastian walked past me, so did Ethan and then everyone else. No one seemed to notice or care that I was still in animal form.

Plopping down on the ground, I closed my eyes. Concentrate. I did everything I could to make myself relax. As odd as it seemed, I couldn’t be more relaxed than I was at that moment. I was easing myself into sleep when I heard footsteps approaching. Ethan shook his head as he stood in front of me—naked. In wolf form, I didn’t feel the immediate need to turn away. He growled something inaudible and touched the top of my head. Enveloped in warmth, pricks of electricity shot through me. My body started to revert to human form. It was the slow motion version of the others but I was changing. He turned and went into the house.

I dashed around the house and dressed as I attempted to ward off my concerns. Ethan, and undoubtedly Sebastian, could force my change to human and wolf form. They had a significant amount of control over my wolf half, over me. How much was it? When in wolf form, could they command me to sit and I would be forced to respond? Could they override my volition and make me change when I didn’t want to? How do I resist that primordial power? I didn’t want them to have that level control over me whether in human or wolf form.

Engrossed by new worries over Sebastian and Ethan’s recently discovered power, I nearly missed the trail of blood leading into the house. Winter leaned against the kitchen island, speaking softly with the two of them. I couldn’t make out the low murmurs, which I assumed was an erudite tactic from living among were-animals with enhanced hearing. When I was about a yard from where they stood, she did that weird eye thing and frowned. She regarded me for a long time before she turned and walked away. Ethan and Sebastian followed.

“There’s been an incident.” Joan stated from behind.

Her voice was tight and hard. I turned to face her. “Someone attacked Winter?” I asked.

“There were several vamps on the property. They are getting quite bold,” she continued through clenched teeth. This was the first time her animal half was exposed. Her eyes went predatory, changing to chestnut with a hint of a yellow feline ring. There was a snarl on her face. She looked ferocious—carnal and more threatening than I could imagine. It was easy to forget what she was. Her soft demeanor and nurturing persona made her seem so human—all human. But now, she was noticeably irritated and her stance, mannerisms and even energy screamed predator—killer. I took a step back. I didn’t fear her, but the instinct of self-preservation made me distance myself from the agitated animal.

“I thought vampires could only enter your home if they are invited.”

“They can come onto anyone’s property at will. This is the first time they’ve approached ours. Desperation has made them either bold or foolish,” she growled out. Seeing her so angry and feral was uncomfortable. Responding to my uneasiness, she softened her tone. Within seconds, she was composed and adorned with her warm smile and kind eyes. She smiled in that disarming manner that entreated you to trust her, welcome her and forget what she really was. But this time it didn’t work.

“They are three vamps down now. I doubt they will be so bold again.” I wasn’t sure how reassuring that was. I couldn’t decide what bothered me more: knowing that Winter, who hated me, could single-handedly take out three vampires, or that the vampires were getting desperate and bold.

After I showered, I laid back on the bed staring at the ceiling. The vampires were getting desperate. I had no idea what they were desperate about, but it involved me. Fear replaced my anxiety and was wreaking havoc with my respiratory system. I panicked. The short gasps weren’t enough to supply my body oxygen. I lurched up into the seated position forcing my lungs to inflate. I took several long, deep breaths.

“You never learned to control your wolf. You let it control you.” Startled, I followed the sound of the voice. Ethan emerged from the shadows. Noticeably agitated, he paced back and forth. His eyes were daggers, keenly focused on me. His tension and anger pulsed through the room in waves, an overwhelming surge that stifled me.

He stopped and leaned against the dresser, awaiting a response. It didn’t seem to warrant one. He was stating the obvious. Instead of answering him, I responded with a blank stare fixed on the door and waited for him to get the hint and leave.

“What, have you not gained control of your hearing either?” he barked impatiently. I looked down, avoiding his watchful leer.

“My hearing is just fine,” I responded stiffly. “I’ve always been afraid of that part of me. It’s a miserable inconvenience that I have to deal with each month during full moons and I chose not to deal with it any more than I had to.”
Inconvenience?
My period was an inconvenience. This was a hostile takeover of my life. Every decision and every aspect of my life revolved around my wolf, especially since I experienced several unexpected changes brought on by loss of emotional control. Those often ended with my mother giving me several painful shots with a tranquilizer until I went down.

He pushed himself up from the dresser, walked over to me and leaned in closely as he inhaled then frowned. His face was still just inches from my neck. If I were just a tad braver, I would have pushed him away. Keeping his eyes fixed on me, he took several steps back, studying me with avid interest. “You don’t smell like a were-animal and the vampires enter your home without an invitation as though you were one of theirs.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “Why is that?”

I couldn’t begin to understand why he was interrogating me with questions that I couldn’t possibly answer. Did he think I miraculously acquired information between the day I arrived and now? Refusing to give him the satisfaction of my frustration, I remained silent as cold, unforgiving eyes from a stone face glared back at me. “I don’t like it,” he stated.

I lifted my chin with forced confidence, “You are welcome to go dislike it somewhere else,” I offered.

“Not before I have answers. What exactly are you?”

“What?”

“What? Are? You?”

“What answer do you need to make it easier for you to leave?” I stated impatiently.

The haughty look quickly disappeared. “If I staked you, would you start reversion?”

Steven explained to me that vampires aren’t killed by a stake like in every vampire flick imaginable. Once staked, a vampire putrefies and reverts physically to its dead state. The body slowly decays and hardens, becoming mummified. If they aren’t decapitated during reversion and are allowed to feed, then they return to their natural state. Then you have a very angry and vengeful vampire to deal with.

“I am not sure. As a general social rule, people don’t go around staking people. It’s really frowned upon in mainstream society. But I suspect that it would be the same as with you—pain and lots of blood. Sometimes I cry when I get hurt. So maybe I would cry a little too,” I smarted back.

When he laughed, it was a dark abrasive rumble. “Something about you is wrong. Off. I don’t like it and I need to know what it is.”

“If you need answers, I am not the right source.”

He watched my hands as I nervously fidgeted with the silver charm bracelet around it. “You don’t have an aversion to silver,” he acknowledged, surprised.

I wasn’t going to play this inane game of “let’s state the obvious” with him. I exhaled loudly, glancing at him periodically before directing my attention toward the door, urging him to leave.

“You’re not a true were-animal?”

“Yet every full moon I turn into a wolf.”

His gazed hardened and I felt like prey under a predator’s leering stare. Would he attack? After a few minutes, he walked over to me and stood directly in front of me. His face just inches from mine. “What are you?”

I sighed, annoyed. “You tell me. It seems that everyone knows as much or maybe even more about me than I do. You are the one with the source who seems to have all the answers,” I spat out. “We’ve played “getting to know you” long enough. And I can assure you I am quite tired of it. It is time for you to leave,” I stated firmly, walking to the door and opening it.

He marshaled a look of sheer defiance as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. I opened the door wider. He didn’t move.

Leaning against the wall, I crossed my arms and waited. He kept a watchful glare on me for an excruciatingly long time. If his goal were to make me feel uncomfortable, he succeeded. He slowly came to his feet and paced the floor like a caged wild animal, watching me carefully as though I were a threat. I wished more than ever that he would just leave. His increasing agitation was making me nervous. If we were in the wild, I would be running for my life.

“Our information is limited on what you are. You lived your life ignoring the animal within. What else dwells in you that you chose to ignore? You don’t expect me to believe you have been foolish enough to live this pseudo-human life with that woman you called mother oblivious to all things,” he breathed coldly.

I winced.
The woman I called mother
? Anger soon replaced my irritation. “That woman that I called mother was my mother by every definition of the word, despite the fact that she did not give birth to me,” I snapped, stepping closer to him. “I am so sorry to disappoint you, but yes, I lived my life with no desire to know anything more about my origin other than the fact I am a werewolf. All I knew was both my parents were dead. I only wanted to live as a human or as human this wretched wolf would allow me. I wanted nothing more than to do human things and ignore anything that made me anything but,” I paused my rant to take a well-needed deep breath to calm down, but it didn’t help. “Until I came here, I had only experienced my wolf during loss of emotional control. Every full moon, I was sedated and slept through it, locked in a cage. This is something I chose to do. And this is the way I chose to live.”